Reckless wounding is another very serious type of assault charge.
The court must be satisfied that the person knew or should have known that their acts would possibly cause a wound.
Reckless wounding can be easier to prove than ‘recklessly causing GBH’, as the injury of wounding is much more easily established.
You can very often avoid a jail sentence if you are found guilty of this offence.
Your options
Plead not guilty
In order to be convicted of this offence, the police must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that:
- You wounded a person, being an injury that pierces the inner and outer layer of the skin;
- The act was done recklessly, meaning you realised that the particular kind of harm in fact done might be inflicted.
If any of the above elements cannot be proven beyond reasonable doubt, then you will be found not guilty of the offence.
If the above elements can be proven beyond reasonable doubt, you will still be found not guilty if any of the following defences can be established:
Our experienced criminal lawyers will advise you of your prospects of successfully defending any charge brought against you and fight to have you found not guilty of the offence.
Plead guilty
If you agree with what the police are alleging against you, the way to get the best result is often to plead guilty as it demonstrates remorse and contrition as well as meaning that you will be entitled to a discount on your sentence. Alternatively, it may be the case that one of our experienced solicitors can negotiate with prosecutors for you to plead guilty to a less serious charge.
The offence of Reckless wounding carries a maximum penalty of 2 years imprisonment in the Local Court and 7 years imprisonment in the District Court. If the offence is committed in company then the maximum penalty is 10 years imprisonment. The offence of Reckless wounding is an extremely serious one and if you are charged with this offence, we advise that you contact one of our solicitors immediately. Penalties for this offence generally range from community service and suspended sentences to full time imprisonment.
Generally, penalties that a court can impose for any criminal offence in NSW are:
